


to a fake 80s song

by LydeNicoKITE



Series: together, bulletproof (random ficlets 2021) [1]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dancing, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Joe and Nicky but they're 20 in all their flawed embarrassing glory, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani and Nicky | Nicolò di Genova are in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, blink and you'll miss the side couple it's one line, but speedrun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:54:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29878014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LydeNicoKITE/pseuds/LydeNicoKITE
Summary: Soon Joe has his back pressed to the cold wall of the atrium of Lykon and Nicky’s building. He thinks briefly that a neighbour could see them, but they’re not doing anything scandalous, despite what the thrill that Nicky’s kisses send under his skin might suggest. It’s a reminder of the afternoon they spent together, the reason why they’re late, so, so late…“Nicky,” Joe says, his hands feel the warm skin of Nicky’s back, his shoulders. “We’re so late,Nicky.”“Sorry, sorry,” Nicky says, his smile not sorry, his eyes soft. “We weren’t the only ones invited, I’m sure we can sneak in and no one will notice.”“First we have to get there.”“Carry me? It’s your fault I’m exhausted.”Happy, fucked-out Nicky is… surprisingly cheeky.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: together, bulletproof (random ficlets 2021) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2196732
Comments: 10
Kudos: 129





	to a fake 80s song

**Author's Note:**

> I really liked speedwriting this so I decided to post it here too! This is for the anon who said they liked having me in the tog fandom, they were so sweet.  
> find me on tumblr as @nicolodigenovas etc etc you know the drill  
> love,  
> Lyde

### to a fake 80s song

Joe still feels the ghost of Nicky’s lips on his as they wait by the front door, the air dark and yellow in sky and light. His hands on Nicky’s hips are probably slowing the other in the process of retrieving the keys and opening the door, but Joe doesn’t care. Since their first kiss that afternoon, Joe finds it difficult to stop touching Nicky, they stumble inside together, but at least he doesn’t seems to be the only one eager: it’s Nicky who turns around and crushes their lips together again. 

Soon Joe has his back pressed to the cold wall of the atrium of Lykon and Nicky’s building. He thinks briefly that a neighbour could see them, but they’re not doing anything scandalous, despite what the thrill that Nicky’s kisses send under his skin might suggest. It’s a reminder of the afternoon they spent together, the reason why they’re late, so, so late…

“Nicky,” Joe says, his hands feel the warm skin of Nicky’s back, his shoulders. “We’re so late, _Nicky_.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Nicky says, his smile not sorry, his eyes soft. “We weren’t the only ones invited, I’m sure we can sneak in and no one will notice.”

“First we have to get there.”

“Carry me? It’s your fault I’m exhausted.”

Happy, fucked-out Nicky is… surprisingly cheeky. His hair is in a terrible state, worse than the time they pulled an all-nighter and Nicky passed his hand through his hair every time he couldn’t remember a formula, his smile is lopsided, his sultry looking through his lashes is purposefully ridiculous, but the overall effect is devastating for Joe’s heart. 

“I love you.”

This is the moment when the air freezes around them. Nicky gulps, his hands twitching in Joe’s hair. 

_FUUUUUUUCK_ , his mind spells in capital letters, painted red over the artistically convoluted canvas of the past year spent hating, befriending and then falling in love with Nicolò di Genova. Today was their second date. Joe doesn’t love easily, but he _knows_ Nicky, especially his flaws. 

Before, Joe bristled noticing Nicky’s attachment to money —apparently it’s stereotipically common among people from Genova, not that it makes things less awkward on a restaurant date–, and he knows his pride, his naivety and stubbornness, his holier-than-thou attitude that still makes itself known despite Nicky’s best efforts… but this is the point, right?

Joe saw Nicky at his flawed worst. Nicky saw Joe too, the Joe who hides in his studio to paint and forgets everyone else, who lets ambition run his action too much, the Joe who cares a lot but also forgets birthdays and dinners, the Joe who can’t help to share his opinion even when no one asked for it and his help, the Joe who meddles. But they also met at the worst point in their short life, when the only way left was up, providing you had friends to help you in the climb.

Joe’s heart is beating furiously in his ears as a flesh-and-blood alarm bell for his brain to RUN and HIDE in shame, but Joe’s mind is still reeling from this new revelation: Joe loves Nicky because they’re both trying hard to be better people and somehow they’ve taken this path together. Nicky is his study partner, his coffee pal, his best friend, the man with more ridiculous selfies in his camera roll than anyone else, his date and probably the first person he’s ever really loved. 

“Yusuf,” Nicky whispers. “Yusuf, you’re scaring me. Did you hear me?”

“What,” Joe says with a high pitch. 

“I said I love you too. But then you kept staring at me, so I also asked you if you meant _as a friend_ and I’ve misread, because English is a terrible language and I can’t believe you have the same expression for romantic and platonic love.”

“I love you. Not platonically.”

“This is our second date,” Nicky's smile is huge and silly, smug at the point of being charming, in Joe’s biased opinion. “I made you fall in love with me in two dates. I love you, too. So much.”

Nicky gives him a little push, sneaking another kiss before taking the stairs. Joe suspects he’s trying to hide an impressive blush. 

“Don’t be so smug, I made you fall in love with two dates, too,” Joe says, looking up where Nicky, on the first floor, leaning on the handrail, is looking back at him. Nicky holds out his hand, down where Joe can raise his arm to brush it with outstretched fingers. The touch lasts a moment before they both remember themselves and get embarrassed.

Nicky shakes his head. “No. I loved you first, and it took me way, way less. One argument, really.”

Joe runs after Nicky, not bothering to hide his smile. They don’t turn on the lights, leaving the stairs in the dark. Only the glow of the streetlights from outside and habit guide them to Lykon’s party on the fifth floor. The sounds of their feet on the steps is slowly engraving itself in Joe’s brain under the label of ‘happiness’, this night that feels like their first. 

The door to Lykon and Nicky’s flat is closed, a cut out of light slithers under it and touches the tip of Nicky’s sneakers. They can both hear the music blasting from the other side of the door, Joe wonders if the wood would vibrate under his fingers if he touched it.

Nicky has his keys in his hands, but he doesn’t open the door. He faces Joe, a question in his eyes. Despite the giddiness of a moment before, he doesn’t speak, just looks up at him. He’s slightly shorter than Joe, but that’s not the reason why his chin is up in silent challenge. Behind Nicky, a small window close to the ceiling lets in the light and frames the sky. The light pollution looks like sick orange fog. 

“You have the moon reflecting in your eyes,” Nicky says in a low voice that gets almost eaten by the lively, angry music. “Look at me?” A plea.

“Do you want to tell the others?”

This thing between them is so new. Andy still hesitates before leaving the two of them alone in the same room, fearing another argument, or worse, a repeat of their first scuffles. Not to mention Lykon, Andy and Quỳnh are navigating their first steps in their new relationship, the three of them so happy and scared to have finally figured out how to fit together. Nile, Booker, they all love Nicky and Joe separately, but they’re also nosy, the co-existing of these college days makes it impossible to avoid teasing, secrets never stay secret for too long. 

Joe hasn’t missed the territorial edge of Nicky’s ‘as I was saying to _my_ best friend’, when others steal Joe from him for too many days. Joe doesn’t like being apart from Nicky either, everyone knows that. 

“Want to take it slow?” Nicky answers, half a question. “Just you and me, for a little while. Then one day I can kiss you good morning and Lykon will have a heart attack.”

“You could flirt with me, though. Make everyone wonder.”

“We could dance together. I could offer you a drink.”

Nicky is again close, they bump noses awkwardly just as the music changes. An 80s song, or maybe a pop song that plays on nostalgia, starts playing, and it’s not romantic at all, but it starts slow and builds up without stopping, in the same way Nicky kisses him: with purpose, stealing his breath away with devoted stubbornness. 

It’s probably the night all around them, but soon Joe starts dancing right in front of the door, hands on Nicky, moving too slowly to fit the rhythm during the chorus but in time with the languid beats underneath. Nicky rests his head on Joe’s shoulder, shyness overtaking him again, his cheeks red for sure, and Joe likes this Nicky too, the one who flirts badly but with hopeful, beautiful eyes.

“I love you so much,” Nicky confesses to his shoulder, pliant as they dance, 80s pop and muffled screams around them. “Five minutes and we can go in, I promise.” It’s difficult to let go of this moment.

“Me too.”

“This night is just you and me,” Joe adds for Nicky’s sake. “Just you, me, and the moon.”

Nicky sighs happily in his arms. Joe’s heart steadily, rapidly soars.


End file.
